Wishing

Jo loved school, it was a warm safe place to be. Fridays were hated because at the end of the day life became uncertain.

At the closing bell, classmates eagerly rushed off to their weekends. Jo was in no hurry, already dreading the coming hours. Mother would be late again. Maybe she wouldn’t even show up at all. More than once the doorway behind the school provided shelter.

Keeping all this secret was the hardest part, making up stories to cover the awful truth. Wishing that the stories might come true.